Automatic self-contained fire-extinguisher



C. S. DURKEE. AUTOMATIC SELF CONTAINED FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY 24,1919.

Patented July 6, 1920.

FIG. I

R m w m ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. DURKEE, 0F GRASMER E, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SELF-CONTAINED FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed July 24, 1919. Serial No. 812,994.

fire extinguishers. Heretofore, fire extinguishers have been of two classes:

1. Automatic extinguishers which depend for their source of suppl upon outside connections, such as the we 1 known automatic fire sprinklers used in many storage warehouses and department stores, in which there is a fixed pipe line containing a supply of water with means operable automatically by heat whereby the water can be released upon a rising temperature.

2. Extinguishers having a self contained supply of fire extinguishing material, but which have to be operated by manual manipulation in case of fire, such as the well known Pyrene fire extinguisher.

I am not aware, however, that up to the present time any fire extin 'uisher has had a self contained supply of re extinguishing material and been at the same time automatic in operation.

y invention consists of a self contained, independent fire extinguisher, operable automatically by means of a rise in temperature alone.

I attain my object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section in elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of coil spring 12. Fig. 3 is a plan view of coil spring 22. ,Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

10 is a container with a vent area 11 of thin lead.

12 is a coil spring, actuating a hollow cylindrical hammer 13, with sharp point 14, so disposed that when hammer 13 is drivenby spring 12 into the position 13, the point 14 will puncture vent area 11.

18 is a trigger, engaging hammer 19, with cutting point 20.

21 is a thin lead diaphragm at the bottom of container 10.

22 is a coil spring, actuating hammer 19,

so disposed that when hammer 19 is driven by spring 22 into the position 19, the point 20 will puncture diaphragm 21.

fusible solder 17.

. will cause plates '16 and apart, and point 14 of hammer 13 will in chamber 31, and out 15 are wires fastened to triggers 13 and 18 and to metal plates 16.

Metal plates 16 are held together by readily fusible solder 17, which liquefies at a ltlemperature' of about 160 degrees Fahren' eit.

30 is a funnel shaped bottom on containr 10. i

31 is a distributing chamber, with discharge holes 32.

The method of operation of my device is I as follows:

Vent area 11 is removed, and container 10 is filled with a fire destroying liquid such as tetrachlorid of carbon. Vent area 11 is then fastened hermetically in position. Triggers 13 and 19 are in the position shown by the solid lines. Wires 15 and plates 16 are held in the position shown, by readily If now the temperature be raised to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, solder 17 will fuse, the tension of springs 12 and 22 wires 15 to draw punch a vent hole in the vent area 11, and point 20 of hammer 19 will punch a drain hole in diaphragm 21, whereupon the fire destroying liquid in container 10 will run down into bottom 30, thence into distributthrough discharge ho cs 32.

I do not limit myself to the means here shown for releasing the fire destroying substance, but any means, automatically operable by heat, may be employed, as for example, fusible plugs, in place of the lead disks and sharp hammer points here shown.

I claim:

A fire extinguisher having a self contained supply of fire extinguishing material, a vent area adapted to be pierced, a hammer adapted to be released b a rise in temperature and when so released to pierce the said vent area, a diaphragm adapted to be pierced and when so pierced to release the fire extinguishing material, and a hammer adapted to be released by a rise in tem perature and when so released to pierce the said diaphragm, both of said hammers being released by a common releasing means operated by a rise in temperature, and normally restrained operating means for the hammers.

CHARLES s. DURKEE. 

